1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to cooking appliances and more particularly to a cooking apparatus cooking apparatus for cooking of food on an outdoor grill.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fixed outdoor fireplaces have been known for many years. Typically, these fireplaces are constructed of brick, masonry and or metal. Within recent years, there have been entered into the marketplace portable outdoor fireplaces, which are commonly referred to as cooking apparatus for barbecues. The size of these cooking apparatuses is small and such are compact and are readily convenient to being moved from one location to another, such as being used at the beach or other outdoor location, and readily transported within a vehicle, such as an automobile.
Typically, in the past, cooking apparatuses have included a fire bowl and a separate bag of charcoal or gas tank and separate utensils. There never has really been designed a cooking apparatus which is designed specifically to be compact and include all the different components required to operate the barbecue and be mounted in storage locations within the fire bowl with these components to be removed prior to usage of the barbecue.
Also, in the past, cooking apparatuses have not been designed to be especially attractive. Attractiveness is a desirable feature for consumers to be willing to purchase such cooking apparatuses.
Additionally, cooking apparatuses of the prior art that have planar or slightly bowed sidewalls (as opposed to having a bowl shape) have not been designed to be an effective cooking instrument. If a fire bowl has an arcuate curved bottom wall, it will facilitate the reflection of heat toward the cooking grill. Previously, fire bowls of cooking apparatuses that have planar or slightly bowed sidewalls have not been properly designed in order to maximize the application of heat to the cooking grill.
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a cooking apparatus comprising a fire bowl and at least one shelf pivotally mounted to the fire bowl, wherein the shelf is movable between a stowage position within the fire bowl to a usage position located externally of the fire bowl. In another embodiment, the fire bowl has an internal chamber and the apparatus further comprises a grill located within the internal chamber. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a second shelf pivotally mounted to the fire bowl, wherein the second shelf is movable between a stowage position within the fire bowl to a usage position located exteriorly of the fire bowl. In still another embodiment, the first shelf is aligned with the second shelf in both the stowage position and the usage position. In yet another embodiment, fire bowl terminates into at least one end portion and the shelf is pivotally mounted to the end portion.
In still yet another embodiment, the fire bowl is mounted on a supporting frame and the apparatus further comprises at least one leg. In a further embodiment, the fire bowl is mounted on a supporting frame where the supporting frame has at least one handle and the shelf rests on the handle when the shelf is in the usage position. In still a further embodiment, the supporting frame includes a pair of leg members, each of the leg members are pivotally movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the leg members are adapted to be in contact with the supporting surface in both the retracted position and the extended position, and the fire bowl is located further from the supporting surface when the leg members are in the extended position as opposed to the retracted position.
In yet a further embodiment, the shelf in the usage position has a working surface. In still yet a further embodiment, the shelf comprises at least one utensil retaining groove. In another embodiment, the shelf has a working surface in the usage position and a utensil is to be located within the utensil retaining groove so the utensil is located beneath the working surface when the shelf is in the usage position. For purposes of this invention, a utensil includes, but is not limited to, spatulas, forks, and tongs. In still another embodiment, the first and second shelves have utensil storage grooves which function to provide utensil storage locations when the first and second shelves are in the storage position.
In yet another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a lid mountable on the fire bowl. In still yet another embodiment, the lid is pivotally mounted to the fire bowl, and the lid being movable from a closed position wherein the lid covers the grill to an open position wherein the lid allows access to the grill. In a further embodiment, the supporting frame of the apparatus includes a pair of main frame members, each of the main frame members are channel shaped defining an internal cavity, and the leg is mounted within the internal cavity.
In another embodiment, the first shelf is situated atop the second shelf in a staggered position during the stowage position. In still another embodiment, the shelf rests upon the grill during the stowage position.
In still a further embodiment, the barbecue cooking system comprises a fire bowl having an internal chamber, a grill located within the internal chamber, a lid mountable on the fire bowl, a stand for supporting the fire bowl, and at least one shelf pivotally mounted to the fire bowl with the shelf being foldable into the fire bowl to a storage position and extendable from the fire bowl during a usage position.
The system is a portable cooking system. The cooking apparatus and system of the present invention is designed primarily for outdoor use.
In still another embodiment, the system further comprising a second shelf pivotally mounted to the fire bowl, the second shelf being foldable into the fire bowl during a stowage position and extendable from the fire bowl during a usage position. In yet another embodiment, the first shelf is aligned with the second shelf in both the storage position and the usage position.
In still yet another embodiment, the shelf comprises at least one working surface and at least one utensil retaining groove. In a further embodiment, the stand comprises at least one movable leg. In still a further embodiment, the leg is retractable and extendable. In yet a further embodiment, the leg terminates into a wheel. In another embodiment, the fire bowl is situated upon a stand during a usage position with the stand being designed to fit onto the lid during a stowage position.
In still yet another embodiment, the lid is pivotally mounted onto the fire bowl, the lid being movable from a closed position wherein the lid covers the grill to an open position wherein the lid allows access to the grill. In still yet another further embodiment, the internal chamber comprises a compartment for retaining burnable material such as coal.
In a further embodiment, the system further comprises a manually operated tightening device and a latching device. In another further embodiment, the tightening device is any device designed for securing the leg when the leg is in an extended position. For purposes of this invention, tightening devices include, but not limited to, screws, bolts and other fasteners. In still a further embodiment, the latching device is any device designed for locking the leg in the retracted position.
In another embodiment, the system further comprising a propane tank, the tank is situated within the fire bowl during the stowage position and externally of the fire bowl during the usage position. In still another embodiment, the system further comprising at least one utensil, the utensil is positioned within the utensil retaining groove of the shelf. In yet another embodiment, the fire bowl having a bottom which is connected to a pair of planar or slightly bowed sidewalls with the bottom being located between the sidewalls. The bottom has an arcuate shape which extends from a fore end to an aft end. The sidewalls having a free upper edge which is flush with the fore end and the aft end. In another embodiment, the shelf is foldable into the internal chamber of the fire bowl.
In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a cooking apparatus comprising: a fire bowl having an internal chamber, a grill located within the internal chamber, a lid mountable on the fire bowl, and at least two shelves, each of the shelves are pivotally mounted to the fire bowl, each of the shelves being movable between a stowage position within the fire bowl to a usage position located exteriorly of the fire bowl. In another embodiment, the first shelf is situated atop the second shelf in a staggered position during a stowage position. In still a further embodiment, the apparatus further comprising a stand, the fire bowl being situated upon the stand during a usage position, the stand being designed to fit onto the lid during a stowage position. In yet a further embodiment, at least one of said shelves of the apparatus of the present invention rests upon the grill during the stowage position.
In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to a cooking apparatus comprising: a fire bowl and a supporting frame being mounted on the fire bowl, at least one pair of leg members being pivotally mounted on the supporting frame and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the leg members adapted to be in contact with a supporting surface in both the retracted and extended positions, the fire bowl being located further from the supporting surface when the leg members are in the extended position as opposed to the retracted position. In yet another embodiment, the leg members are crossed when in the retracted position. In still yet another embodiment, the leg members are located parallel and spaced apart when in the extended position.
In a still further embodiment of this invention, the fire bowl has a bottom which is located between and connected to a pair of sidewalls with this bottom having an arcuate shape which extends from a left side to a right side.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cooking apparatus, the method comprising: providing a fire bowl having an internal chamber; positioning a grill within the internal reservoir; and pivotally mounting at least one shelf onto the fire bowl, the shelf being movable between a stowage position within the fire bowl to a usage position located exteriorly of the fire bowl.
In a yet further embodiment of this invention, there is a fire bowl mounted on an supporting frame with a pair of leg members pivotally mounted on the supporting frame and movable between a retracted position and an extracted position. In a still further embodiment, the supporting frame includes main frame members which are channel shaped defining an internal cavity with each leg member being mounted within an internal cavity. In a still further embodiment, the leg members are crossed when in the retracted position. In a still further embodiment, the legs are parallel but spaced apart when in the extended position. In a still further embodiment, the leg members include low frictional rolling means. In a still further embodiment, there is included a manually operable tightening member for securing the leg members in the extended position. In yet a further embodiment of this invention, there is included a latching means for locking of the leg members in the retracted position.
In a still further embodiment of this invention, there is defined a cooking apparatus which has a fire bowl and a lid removably engagable with the fire bowl. A stand is to be locatable underneath the fire bowl or locatable about the lid. In yet a further embodiment of this invention, the fire bowl includes a pair of spaced apart handles. In yet a further embodiment of this invention, the stand is to connect with the handles when the cooking appliance is in the position of not being used.